PARANORMAL BATIVITY: If I Die Tonight
by SailorSilvanesti
Summary: "The evil sensation scraped down his spine, like claws… he shuddered almost imperceptibly and then let out a startled gasp as his forward momentum was halted by something that seized his ankle." Something Evil is Targeting those of Gotham, escalating from violence to much, much worse... Can the Justice League and Teen Titans save their vigilante members before it's too late? AU
1. Chapter 1: Can You Feel It?

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Batman, the Batfamily, the Justice League, the Titans, the Teen Titans or any mentioned/associated Hero... **_

**For some time now, a thought was trapped in my mind, what would happen, if one were to cross DC Superheroes, with Paranormal Activity?**

**This, is your answer. **

**ENJOY... if you can.**

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**~*Paranormal Bativity: If I Die Tonight *~**

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**Chapter 1: Can You Feel it?**

**~)0(~**

A universal shudder seemed to ripple through the god-forsaken streets of the dank, dark city… Even thieves, thugs and robbers paused in their meaningless meanderings to shiver as a deep sense of evil seemed to seep past, like a shadow on the sun…sucking the happiness from life for but a moment, and then it was swiftly forgotten as they turned back to their meaningless lives of crime and cruelty…

Even the regular citizens of Gotham felt it, the lingering touch of malice sliding sharp, cold fingers up their spines, the Shade hiding just out of sight, leaving those who sensed it with deep stirrings of unease and fear. In these dark moments, as day turned to night, they turned to look upwards to the tallest of buildings in hopes of seeing the silhouette of their salvation…

They needed him now, more than ever.

They needed… Batman.

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Bullets ricocheted from all directions, he swung his body with little effort out of the way, grinning like a maddened creature; sure, on the inside there was a small part of his mind that was screaming '_get serious!_' –he liked to call that part, '_the Inner Batman'_… (_not that Bruce would think that was as funny as he did, but hey…even the Bat couldn't stop him from thinking it_)...- but the rest was purely exhilarated to be doing something.

Ever since Bludhaven had been destroyed… well, even the lowest of low-lifes had pitched in to help re-build and crime had dropped to below nothing, so he'd had nothing to do for such a long time… not that that was a bad thing, of course. Still, a bored Nightwing, was a _Stir-crazy_ Nightwing.

"Oh Bat-baby, a little attention this way please…?" called the familiar voice of the purple-clad prankster. He obligingly turned his head to the side and alighted on a nearby rooftop, wherein he noticed the Joker standing plain as day on the opposite building's roof, a huge rocket launcher ludicrously draped over one shoulder and a grinning missile stared out of the barrel's depths… not good.

Joker grinned even wider in that maniacal beam he always wore, "Just smile at the camera and wait for the flash…say "_Dead Robin_!" WHOO-**HA**HA**HA**HA_**HAAAAA**_HA!" The madman aimed it high, and beneath his mask Nightwing felt his eyes grow a tad wide…but outwardly he smirked.

"That depends… on your definition of '_flash_'," he retorted…and disappeared.

~)0(~

Joker blinked, "Bat-brat?" he queried the silent twilight world, looking about and seeing nothing…he felt a breeze stir his purple suit from behind and whirled about… There stood Nightwing, arms folded over his chest and grinning, "B-but how-?" he started, looking rather put out, but a red blur solidified behind the Bat-brat, materialising as _the Flash_.  
Correction. The _smug-looking_ Flash, who waved with the air of someone who'd just pulled a major prank on someone else.

"Like I said, depends on your definition of 'Flash'…" Nightwing grinned, and stepped forwards; Joker made to fire his rocket launcher…only to find it wasn't there anymore, though he still had the rough sensation of the handles on his gloved palms. Pieces lay scattered across the entirety of the roof, in enough spare parts that it would never again be whole without a Manual and a weapons expert; Nightwing grinned broadly, "Looks like its game over for you…"

Joker sighed dramatically, "Oh poop…" and went down like a ton of bricks as the vigilante hero punched him right in his painted, pouting face…

~)0(~

Trussed up like a Christmas chicken and suspended from a streetlight several feet in the air by a strong tether cable, the Joker was left for the _speedily-arriving-but-just-too-late-to-be-effectual_-G.C.P.D.

"High Five for how awesome I am?" Flash asked, raising a red-clad hand in preparation; the dark-clad hero to his left turned around with an amused expression, the wind shifted across the rooftop and swept the raven mop of hair across his face. Behind the mask, Wally was very aware that there was an eyebrow quirked, but still, he did receive the longed-for high-five…so he was satisfied, even if the gesture was acted out with a small snort of laughter.

Nightwing frowned all of a sudden, body tensing in an almost imperceptible way…then relaxing; but his expression –to any of those with an insider's information on the non-Verbal BatCommunication Manual- remained troubled. "What?" he asked, resisting the urge to poke the other continuously until he received an answer or even just… some form of recognition; Wally was exceptionally aware that the other's focus was not on him entirely.

"What…?"

And there was his proof. "It doesn't matter… I just thought I-…it's nothing. Wanna go back to the 'Cave?" he smiled, knowing that Wally would never refuse…he thought the cave was totally awesome but there was still one little quirk that had his heart racing and palms sweating… "Uh, I'm all for it but what about, you know, Bats? I want to live…and not in a wheelchair, or a full-body cast…" He was prepared for a burst of sharp laughter, swiftly followed by an assurance that such a thing would never happen…what he wasn't prepared for was, well, the look of serious contemplation that adorned the other's face. "Don't worry, he has to go through me first, and as much as we fight…he's never actually hurt me significantly… and I'm _sure_ he doesn't hate you enough to _kill _me… just, don't make the '_Bathrobe-man'_ joke again. Or even I will not be too great a sacrifice if it means removing you from the cosmic equation…"

Wally's jaw fell open, emitting a strange squeak… but the other was gone with a lingering, "Race you!" dying on the wind…

~)0(~

Resisting the urge to giggle in that high, creepy way of his youth, Richard fired off the next grapple and felt it tense as it sunk into a solid point on the adjacent building; it pulled taut on his shoulder, and his body swung with the momentum, arcing up through the night to silhouette the moon. His own version of flying…and the moment stretched into eternity…

As the last grapple line released and he turned in a fluid moment to fire off another mid-air, the world changed, and something went horribly wrong… The evil sensation scraped down his spine, like claws… he shuddered almost imperceptibly and then let out a startled gasp as his forward momentum was halted by something that seized his ankle. Whatever it was held fast and swung him bodily in the other direction… his lower back burned inexplicably, like fire.

Nightwing had a momentary vision of an imposing looking skyscraper coming closer, his shadow reflected in the mirror-like windows…and then all was shattered glass and darkness…

~)0(~

The first and only indication he had that something was wrong… was the way Dick let out a soft gasp, and then appeared to throw himself backwards in mid-air, arcing out towards the opposite building over the street…

Wally let out a horrified expletive, changing his speed and course to angle towards the shower of falling glass, debris and vigilante… why wasn't he saving himself? He angled across the street and straight up the side of the building, dodging frozen citizens, motionless cars and small shards of glass and metal as they inched past in an almost halted momentum. Heart pounding frantically, Flash hit the edge of a shattered window, pushed down harshly and ignored the bite of pain as glass slashed through his costume and grazed the soft flesh of his leg; he launched into the air and twisted, feeling time rush forwards like a punch…

There was no jerk or fight to the other hero when his arm grabbed about his dark, spandex-clad waist; nor did Wally hear Nightwing say anything, which he was sure to do considering how much he hated being 'rescued' by one of the others, an annoying Bat-trait…but the Titans had usually found a way around it… Although right now, he'd give anything for a pun, quip or even an infuriated comment about not being treated like a girl. _Nothing_.

A moment of complete and utter free-fall where he panicked, not having thought this far ahead, then logic smacked him upside the head…he vibrated slightly, creating friction and threw himself through the air towards the building. Contact.

Traction. Wally sped straight up the wall of the skyscraper again, a red blur in a world of motion and uncertainty; Dick surprisingly slack in his grasp, paler than before and worryingly clammy…he had to get help…and he had to get it soon. And then, he noticed the hot, slick blood, pooling in his hands… And suddenly, he couldn't run fast enough…

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"What happened?" growled the deep, grating voice of Batman, though he wore the mask of Bruce Wayne… the hero had his cowl half-off, cape swishing dramatically as he turned, flinging a datapad across the room in surprise.

Flash had just burst into the BatCave carrying a seemingly unconscious Nightwing; the speedster was half-frantic as he placed Dick on a nearby medi-bed, lights on the screens flickering to life and reading an erratic heartbeat. Again, he repeated his question, "What happened, Wally?"

He added the younger hero's name in an attempt to snap him out of this strange trance he was in, "I- I don't know, we took down the Joker on a roof somewhere and then, we- well, there was kind of more to it than that, and I was awesome but- wait, off topic, sorry. _Don't hurt me_! Something was on that roof, something bad and…_I don't know_, but it… Dick noticed and then, when we were coming back here _something attacked him_. He was using the grapples and at the height of his swing, _I think something grabbed him_… whatever it was threw him into a skyscraper across the way_, I didn't see anything there though_. He was like this when I caught him…" Wally replied, body vibrating from lack of anything else to do.

Batman frowned. Something was wrong here, there was blood on the speedster's costume…dark stains marred the gloves and his heart –_though many in the Justice League would swear to whatever Gods they believed in that he didn't have one_- skipped a beat, near stopping dead in fear; but he sucked it up and let the Batman half of his mind take over. His gloved hand slid under Nightwing's back, feeling the harsh tears down his son's back, like…like something had deliberately run razor-sharp claws through the flesh; and…wait, was that-…?

"Come here." He commanded at Wally, "Hold him up while I check his back…" Unsure but grateful for being able to do something, Wally moved forwards and carefully sat Nightwing up, gasping as the bloody mess was brought to light… It looked as if six immense talons had been simultaneously raked down on an angle across the spine… but, right in the center of the lower back there was… Could it be?

A bite.

But not like any they had ever seen before, it was completely alien. "Are you sure you didn't see what attacked him? Whatever it was may have been alien in origin, this bite was not something that could have been made by any creature on Earth… perhaps it has the ability to cloak itself." He started to speak to himself at the exact same time Nightwing jerked awake with a hiss and a rather vicious swipe to the side, that would have connected with Wally's head if Batman hadn't caught the fist. "Richard, calm down. You're in the Cave, something attacked you; can you remember anything about the attack?"

"I- what? No… no… _wait_, I remember something on the rooftop, but it wasn't physical. I couldn't touch it, hear it or see anything but I felt it…and then when I was using the grapples, I felt it again. Something… touched me, but I didn't feel anything like…" his fingers reached back to gingerly touch the wounds, sitting up fully and swinging his legs off the edge of the bed. "Like this. How did I miss this? All I remember is something grabbed me, I couldn't shake it off, then my…what the heck is-? Is that a bite?"

Batman looked both concerned and rather amused, "Actually, we believe that you may be correct…it looks as if it could be a bite, though the origin may be alien to Earth… SIT DOWN!" he commanded sharply as Nightwing slid off the bed to stand, gingerly on the floor. Batman noticed. "Considering the damage it did without your knowledge to your back, I think it's safe to assume there will be at least minor bruising to the contact site where it initially grabbed you. Go and shower, then we'll deal with your injuries. And you," he turned to glare at Wally, "go with him… or he'll sneak off to confront it on his own."

And with that, Batman stalked away, probably to go get Alfred.

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Over the loud hissing noise of the showers, he could hear the smirk in Wally's voice, "Admit it, you're just pissed because he guessed right. You would totally sneak out and take on the whatever-it-is, right?" and sighed. Not that he would ever admit to it, but sometimes he really hated that Bruce seemed to know what he would do before even he did…

"On the plus side," continued the red-head, reaching over from his stall to snatch away the green bottle of shampoo on Dick's shelf, "I totally love the whole '_Shower in the BatCave_' thing, …_was _going to run back to Central for a quick wash-up and come back later, but this works way better!" Wally turned green eyes on him, the smirk as wide as physically possible.

"And yet I can already see you making this into a long, highly-embellished epic that somehow involves you, the 'Cave showers and an over-exaggerated battle between you and Batman for the soap…" Dick blanched for a moment, "On second thought… forget the soap battle, I don't need to be scarred for life and neither does anybody else."

"You're forgetting something," the redhead informed in a _sing-song tone_, instantly putting Nightwing into wary mode –well, as wary as one naked, injured superhero could be when faced with a grinning, redheaded demon speedster (who was also of the nakedness) only a foot away with nothing but a chest-high wall separating them. He bit the bullet, "Such as…?" he asked, already recoiling in anticipation. Wally…did not disappoint.

"You failed to mention the dashing Damsel in Distress I rescued? They're tall, dark-haired and excessively attractive when pissed, …like right now. Oh come on, it was a joke, you know it, can't two guys joke about in the showers? Heck, I know Kori and Donna used to pretty much have conferences at shower time back in the Tower… Of course, they also had that crazy-weird female ESP thing going on, I could never work out what they were thinking sometimes…then BAM! Two-pronged attack over who left the toilet seat up…" the other paused thoughtfully, eyeing his expression as Dick reached out to snatch at the towel just out of reach…and the fluffiness was instantly to hand; the other not seeming to have moved at all.

The redhead's eyes widened, "Dude, we should get those looked at now… I- hang on, turn around!" Dick snorted and put on a high, affected voice, "_Ooh Wally, didn't know you had a kinky thing for poor defenceless people in the showers…_" for which he received a light, playful smack on the shoulder. "Be serious dude, if I wanted _that_ you'd be pinned against the-… I mean, uh, look just turn around. I wanna see if my eyes are playing tricks on me…" Wally said with a heavy tone.

Sighing, Richard turned around and fixed the towel more tightly, low about his hips. The skin down his back was hot, sore and tight; and the dull throbbing ache they were giving off, was offset by the needling pain from his lower back... Like cold fire. He heard Wally gasp, and instinctually knew it was probably pretty bad… It was quite a few moments before Wally spoke again, "Let's…just go get that seen to."

He was right, it must be bad.

~)0(~

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**_TBC..._**

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**I shall post the next chapter either next week, or after I recieve 10 Reviews, knowing which one is more likely... **

**Until Next Week!**

**~*SailorSilvanesti/Phoenix Fire*~**


	2. Chapter 2: The Leaves Rustle

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans, Justice League, Titans, Anyone or Anything from Paranormal Activity or any associated characters...**

**Just... have a towel handy, for when you pee your pants. It may not be frightening you out of your clothes yet, but we're getting close... **

**ENJOY.**

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**Chapter 2: The Leaves Rustle…**

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He was pissed.

No, that was an understatement, he was livid. "What the hell did you think you were doing in there?" he yelled at the other, one hand firmly grasping at his aching left shoulder; for their part, the other was slowly shrinking back. Looking both chastened and chagrined, his anger flowed away in the face of the distress he was causing… a single shaky breath released itself, the trembling of pure adrenaline was giving way to exhaustion. "Hey, you don't look so good…" Conner half-queried as he tried his best to float closer without seeming to… but gave up the pretence as the other shuddered, and fell to his knees.

"D-Don't know, something's wrong I can f-feel something h-here…" Robin stuttered, staring down at the ground through his domino mask; a sudden overwhelming sensation of malice had crept up his spine, until it felt he was drowning in it… One second he was yelling at Superboy for the failed attempt at taking down Luthor –_in which said Kryptonian had inadvertently created a hostage situation by allowing himself to get too close to the Kryptonite in the Super Villain's suit_- and the next, something was clouding his mind… body shaking out of control and fear running rampant through overstressed nerves.

And then… things went to hell.

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In the blink of an eye, before his stunned eyes, the word went to hell.

For a split-second, Robin was before him on the rooftop... trembling, exhausted and injured… In the next heartbeat, the other Teen Titan was simply… _gone_.

There was a startled cry of the likes he'd never heard Tim utter before, as the other Titan was dragged bodily into the shadows. With adrenaline-fueled horror, Conner leapt forwards in a heated state of agitation as Tim cried out again, this time with a note of terror that ranged on heart-stopping, and then fell terrifyingly silent…

Halting on the edge of the shadowed area as his mind caught up to the situation and put the brakes on, Conner paused for a calming breath. While internally he was frantic… only the faintest trace of Robin's heartbeat gave the half-Kryptonian pause enough to even consider that maybe x-raying the area for the actual assailant would probably be a good idea, instead of running in blind…

His eyes glowed, enough for his x-ray vision to penetrate the gloom before him and all around, searching for something, someone, anyone…but…

There was no one there, not even a second heartbeat to track. What the hell was going on here?

Rushing forwards, he nearly tripped over the body lying sprawled unconscious in the shadows. "_Ti_- Robin? Robin, are you alright?" he called frantically, throwing himself violently to his jean-clad knees and shaking the other a little harshly… "Shit, Tim, please say something, _please_!" He started as his hands came away covered in blood… there were long, deep gashes in the other hero's upper arms, and one diagonally across the lower torso, from right waist to left hip…

But the main attraction, however, was even more ghastly than that… Clotting blood pooled in a sticky, coagulated mess of crimson over a very strange wound in the right upper thigh… It looked like, well… like a _bite_. Though Conner had never seen anything like it… and the markings made it seem almost physically impossible… like the jaws –if that's what they could be called- had been pressed wide open and flat against the skin with enough pressure for penetration, but not lethality; jagged punctures leaked slightly, but not excessively. X-ray vision revealed no arterial damage from the bite, so Superboy breathed a small sigh of relief over that miracle… he really couldn't have dealt with that situation. Given that _he may or may not have fallen asleep during the mandatory Teen Titan First Aid Course_ that Martian Manhunter had run a few months back… but he knew enough to tell that Robin's complexion and lack of response was generally BAD.

Pale, clammy-skinned and unresponsive, Robin lolled like a rag doll in his hands. Suddenly, something that felt like pure malice brushed past his unguarded back; he froze, unable to do anything other than choke in oxygen and shudder as a fear-sweat broke out on his forehead. Something told him that this was what had attacked Tim, and for the life of him, he could honestly say that the first thing he wanted to do right now was break away and run or fly –_he wasn't picky_- whilst screaming like a terrified little girl. There also might be a chance of mild showers…in his pants, if the thing didn't-...

The eerie sensation passed, leaving him gasping for the cool night air and trembling, in swift order he pulled himself together and gently slid his hands under Tim, lifting him upwards and trying his best not to notice how limply the other lolled in his arms.

Something was desperately wrong.

~)0(~

He gasped, coming to for the second time that day. "What the-?" he queried, glaring harshly at two rapidly coming-into-focus blobs, one easily distinguishable as Wally and the other Bruce. "Care to explain…?" he asked loudly, feeling tight white bandages snap taught against his chest and back; a sudden commotion drowning out any forthcoming explanation…as Superboy came tearing into the Cave with a backlash of air.

"Please, something's wrong with Tim…we were attacked by- I didn't see it but I could feel it. It was bad, real bad and now… look! Whatever it was bit him and there's so much blood but I tried to stop it and-…" Nightwing was across the room before the other two could stop him, fully aware he was only wearing a pair of track pants and half-mummified; one hand steadied the nervously hovering teen and the other pressed firmly to Robin's throat, feeling the soft pulse of a deep sleeper.

"Calm down Conner, just put him over there… don't tell me, something evil brushed past and the next thing you knew, Tim was under attack?" he asked tactfully as the half-Kryptonian laid the pale teen on the bed his body had been occupying but a moment ago. Conner exhaled sharply, "Yeah…yeah that's exactly what happened, how did you- ? Whoa, what the hell happened to you two?" he asked, eyes widening as an involuntary step backwards was taken; blue orbs taking in the sight of a grim-faced speedster, ominous Batman and his own, probably worse-for-wear complexion…

"_Boogey man_. Same thing attacked Nightwing out there; I didn't see a thing… There's an unknown something going on here, I mean seriously, both of you just happen to take spontaneous invisible bites to your bodies and –wait, did yours get thrown too? Don't answer that… what I'm saying is, well… That's two birds this whatever-it-is has attempted to take down, this screams '_personal_' and '_not finished with you yet_'…" Flash said, pacing in his borrowed civilian outfit –what _didn't_ they have in this weird little cave?- with hands moving in frantic blurs in the air before him.

He blinked, suddenly finding himself seated across the room and glaring at Wally, who was standing a foot to his right; Bruce was methodically checking over the unconscious body of Tim, first checking that the bleeding was no longer anything but residual from the wounds, then paying close attention to the bite on the thigh.

"These markings, that we have assumed are bite marks from an unknown creature of potentially alien origin, are almost exactly the same as those found on Nightwing's back. However, given the placing, there should be allowed for a margin of error…" the giant computer screen flickered in acquiescence at the note, running through a hundred different simulations in one open window while data streamed too fast for anyone but a speedster to read; and in a third window, seemingly separate and yet so important, ran a list of strangely named known alien creatures from the League's Watchtower Xenobiology files.

Each name flickered up, a picture appearing and flickering away in mere split-seconds; all possible options exhausted in but a few strained moments of waiting… "Well, this can only mean that it is either of a species we have yet to encounter… plausible, or this is something supernatural; which, given our line of work, is not exactly impossible." Batman murmured to himself, keying in the results of their findings and re-running the program in several different windows, each slightly different from the other… and still, nothing. No combination of Bites, Scars, invisibility, malice, telepathic/empathic abilities or superstrength/flight yielded any result.

It was something they had never encountered before… it had the power to attack and maim under the guise of invisibility, it was loose in Gotham City without any way to track it… and worst of all, it had attacked two of his children. Batman slipped his cowl back on properly…

This just got personal.

~)0(~

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_**To Be Continued...**_

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**Things are heating up, Daddy!Bat-mode has been activated.**

**And it's about to get worse... don't... don't EAT, before you read the next few chapters. For reasons.**

**A REVIEW is always appreciated...**

**~*SailorSilvanesti/Phoenix Fire*~**


	3. Chapter 3: Whispers in the Dark

**Disclaimer: I do not own Batman, Nightwing, Robin, members of the Batfamily, Justice League or Teen Titans... and Alfred would kill me with an umbrella if I stated I owned him, so... none of the associated characters either... *cowering slightly as the awe-inspiring 'Butler-Glare!' is sent my way...***

**Chapter 3... Enjoy, or scream.**

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**Chapter 3: Whispers in the Dark…**

**~)0(~**

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"Master Timothy, please sit still or I will be forced to sedate you!" came the cry for the third time in as many minutes, the voice was full of authority and very British; probably could have been comical if the situation hadn't been so dire. Said teen detective scowled in a very similar replication of the Batman's own death glare, but acquiesced the _not-quite-request_, _not-quite-demand_, _more-firm-suggestion_ to be seated, pouting somewhat petulantly, "But he doesn't have to…" Timothy pointed out, nodding at Nightwing.

Richard half-turned back from where he was fiddling with the Bat-Computer with a grin, "True… but then again, I'm too big for him to drag back over there… sadly, baby brother, _you aren't_." Without so much as a flicker or twitch of warning, Alfred looked the vigilante dead in the eye and stated calmly, "That as it may be… you should also be aware that you are most certainly _not _too old for me to bend over my knee and soundly spank, young Master Richard, so please keep your clever quips to yourself while I see to Master Timothy's injuries. And if, when I turn around again, you are not seated or resting somewhere… I shall sedate you too..."

The half-laugh, half-snort that erupted from the Flash toppled the speedster; Superboy could only watch on as Wally rolled on the floor, clutching at his stomach as if it pained him to breathe through the absolute seizure of giggles bursting forth… The malice of the glare that Nightwing turned on the speedster was marred by the amusement and…_what looked like a small amount of fear_… sparkling in his unusually blue eyes. Just to be on the safe side, Conner sat himself down and prodded the nearby speedster with a booted foot…

Images continued to flicker past at almost inhuman speeds on the giant monitor, creatures he had never seen before, planets whose names he could never pronounce or memorise in a thousand years… lifeforms and information all scrolling past in a blur that seemingly Batman and Nightwing were deciphering. "Stop…" commanded the deep voice, freezing the screen like something trapped in one of Mr Freeze's icy blasts, it flickered momentarily as all the information was suspended, then brightened and aligned all the information shown with crystal clarity. "This is similar… but not quite correct, the bites on both of you appeared to be circular, with many smaller circles, or 'rings' within the largest row of puncture markings, whereas the documented bites shown appear to be made in a more oblong fashion. It is, however, a good place to start."

"Yes, but…" Nightwing interjected, "this is a creature from Lunari 9, it dislikes spacetravel, has serrated teeth and can't leave its home planet's atmosphere without imploding." One hand extended outwards to tap the keyboard, summoning the information and expanding it along the entirety of the screen. With a glare, Batman let the other know he wasn't quite finished yet. The black-gloved hand that now tapped the same keyboard drew the screen from its sharply zoomed-in state, as a smaller side-piece of information flittered out of minimisation and across to a touch-screen console. With a gesture, it expanded. "Something we did not initially factor into our calculations, was the ideology that the creature may be from another dimension or created from an unknown source…" he started, only for Robin to let out a surprised gasp as Nightwing openly stared at his mentor-slash-father with an incredulous expression, "Are you suggesting… this creature might be, _magical _in origin?" he probed.

Despite knowing at least a dozen magically based heroes on the League's rosters alone, Batman had steadfastly thus far refused to budge from his standpoint that magic in itself did not exist, and therefore was simply an unexplained, unquantified form of energy yet to be researched. "Don't give me that look, you of all people should realise some things often exist outside our realms of experience. I may not fully believe in the so-called '_magic_' Zatana and Dr Fate employ, however, the fact that the Teen Titans faced Trigon on more than one occasion cannot be falsified, and there is yet to be a satisfactory explanation as to how Trigon entered this dimension –a feat that required a significant amount of energy that was alien in origin- without attributing the whole event to 'magic'. This creature, or whatever it is that attacked you both, is not from our world, nor does it appear to be from our dimension. If you need me, contact the Watchtower, I am going to speak with both Zatana and Green Lantern, one of them will have an answer as to this thing's identity. _Don't do anything stupid_."

Without much warning, Batman abruptly cut off the conversation and tapped his JLA commlink, "_J'onn_, I need you to contact the Green Lantern John Stewart, and Zatana, tell them to meet me in the Monitor room of the Watchtower. Immediate teleportation from the Cave. Code: _DeltaNine._" Martian Manhunter's voice could be faintly heard by all those present without super-hearing abilities, "At once, Batman. Transport in 3…2…1…"

With a flash of blue light, Batman was gone.

"Well," stated Nightwing, filling the silence, "Who wants to go out and hunt down this thing?" Robin quickly raised… then lowered his hand, seeing the stony expression he was receiving from Alfred. Wally seemed excited and slipped his cowl back over the unruly mop of red hair, righting himself from where he'd been rolling on the floor of the 'Cave. Superboy seemed uncertain whether crossing Batman was such a good thing… apparently Nightwing was telepathic now, as he seemed to pick up on the thought. "Don't worry about it," smiled the irrepressible leader of the Titans, clapping him on the shoulder, "He can't do anything to you that intensive physiotherapy and a week on the sun can't fix… Now where is my extra sui- thanks Wally." The item was already in the older hero's hands, even as he turned away from a much-paler Conner.

Flash tapped Nightwing on the shoulder and stage-whispered, "_Dick? You might want to work on your 'motivational speeches' a little in your Bat!Downtime… just saying…_" he pointed to the horrified Superboy. The Bludhaven vigilante glanced, then shrugged, "Well, I'm not going to lie to him… besides… I already hid all of Batman's Kryptonite stash when he was fussing over Tim, so he's safe from that at least for now." Conner breathed a sigh of relief. "Then again," his breath caught sharply at the words, "he DOES always carry that one big chunk around with him in the lead-lined pouch of his utility belt…"

Superboy fainted.

"That was cruel and you know it," Tim admonished from two feet away, having slid off the bed as Alfred disappeared to go and get refreshments, his lower torso and right thigh nothing but a sea of crisp, white bandages. He prodded his best-friend with a foot, then winced as he knelt down to check if the half-Kryptonian was still alive… with a backhanded, "If he's dead… I know _where_ you sleep, and _WHEN_ you sleep…" leaving the threat unfinished and implied.

Wally tore off the crimson red cowl of the Flash's outfit to reveal an incredulous expression in his emerald-green eyes, "You people actually _sleep_?"

Nightwing's laughter echoed off the shadowed walls of the Cave as he went to go and change into his spare suit. Robin glaring in his wake…

**~)0(~**

It could have been mere imagination, or maybe… no, she was being silly. Warriors do not imagine enemies or this '_boogey-man_' that the children of Man's World so feared at young ages. Diana of Themyscira shuddered slightly despite herself as she hovered over Gotham… going to surprise a certain grim Dark Knight, just because…

Grey-laden skies were bleak and cold, winds tore at her hair, whipping it into knots that would take an age to remove by comb. Languidly, she dodged one of the large watch-blimps that trolled the skies slowly, and glanced down upon the populace. Then, something she could never truly comprehend passed over her, like the sensation of pure malice was trailing its taloned fingers up her spine as it flew over… A shade of pure evil unlike she had ever known.

With a violent spin, Diana surveyed the skies all around her body and saw nothing… Her arms unconsciously wrapping about her body in an odd sort of comfort, she shivered again involuntarily, the world suddenly seemed a little darker…

And then, someone SCREAMED…

~)0(~

The grinding shriek of an alert woke him again, he saw the sudden surprise and panic written across the masked faces of both Robin and Nightwing as whoever had been onscreen vanished with terror on their face… a woman, she had been beautiful… his recollections left only an imprint of red hair.

"_**BABS**_!" two voices cried. Conner jolted into alertness as another screen flashed up on the monitor, It was the purple-clad figure of Huntress, she appeared to be riding a motorcycle at high speeds, "I heard the alert, don't worry boys, I'm almost at _Oracle's_ tower now…"

"Thanks Helena, we'll be there as fast as we can…" said Nightwing steadily, glancing into the darkness of the Cave where lights were flickering on to the sound of emergency machinery grinding to life. Identical, but for the paintjob, motorcycles appeared on a runway… one black with blue, the other an amalgamation of black, red and yellow; both bearing their respective owner's symbols. "Come on," ordered the commanding tone that Nightwing always possessed when leading the Titans, "Huntress might be able to hold off whatever it is for a while, but we need to back her up… Oracle's in danger…"

He reached for the motorcycle, mask in place… a sort of imposed calm over what would have been full-out panic for any normal human, when there came a cry of, "A _Need for Speed_? Why didn't you say so? Forget the toy…" beamed the Speedster, and in a flicker of crimson, the Bludhaven vigilante was gone… Robin didn't even get the chance to move or protest… before he and Superboy were arcing outside through a hidden entrance, and high into the sky in pursuit…

Back in the Cave, the screen flickered as the feed was interrupted by static… a low, menacing growl emanated in a way that made blood freeze in vein, and heart pause to quiver uncertainly… without warning, the feed cleared…

And then someone let out a blood-curdling scream…

One long, loud, unending note of fear and agony falling in and upon itself, over and over again in cacophonous turbulence… and then, all was quiet. Silence fell in time to the clattering, clashing, discordant sound that rang from every inch of the Cave at the dropping of the heavily-laden tea-tray the English Butler had been carrying. One hand clasped over his mouth in disbelief as he stared at the screen. A gasp of pure, unadulterated horror accompanied by one small word that asked so much, fell from Alfred's white, trembling lips. "_Why_?"

And as the Silence loomed, there was no answer.

~)0(~

* * *

_**To Be Continued...**_

* * *

**Something is about to happen... can you feel it?**

~*SailorSilvanesti/Phoenix Fire*~


	4. Chapter 4: When the Question is Asked

**Disclaimer: I do not own Batman, Nightwing, Robin, the Teen Titans, Justice League or other members of the Bat!Clan... sadly. Ido, however, oen a whacked-out, dark, disturbing imagination... and it just threw this chapter out there...**

**Please get into the foetal position...**

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**Chapter 4: When the Question is Asked…**

**~)0(~**

It was the blank eyes that yielded the greatest answer, although all that could be found in them was a question… an eternal, unending question… _Why_?

Why me, why now, _why_? _Why_? _WHY_?

He had no answer, but there was a definite want to go outside and empty the meagre contents of his stomach noisily over the pavement, as Superboy and the Flash were doing right this instant… Nightwing seemed to have gone ridged in shocked horror, but was gradually assuming that strangely detached personality he employed when working horrific crime scenes on the Bludhaven 'Force. Robin… well, _Robin_ wasn't sure how _Robin_ was supposed to feel… Tim knew that he wanted to hit the floor on his knees and scream or cry, or be sick or… or-… SOMETHING… to show there was something still human inside that felt revulsion for what he saw…but _Robin_ was being quiet.

Whatever they had anticipated finding when the quartet had speedily arrived at the secret technological lair of Oracle, the most mysterious member of the Bat-family who resided in a tower in the midst of Gotham with enough futuristic technology to launch every missile on Earth towards Pluto with the flick of a button; it had not been what was found… Then again, no one would ever expect… _THAT_. His stomach rebelled, did a back-flip, and reminded he was human after all… threatening to let everyone know he'd had marmalade on his sandwich at lunch yesterday…

The dawn sunlight streamed into the room, but failed to lift the heavy taint of shadows and… death, in this place. He wanted to cover his mouth with a hand, but as it drew closer, he frantically hid it from sight again… the normally black gloves were as crimson as the rest of his Robin outfit, and it hadn't been a deliberate costume change. They'd had to check… _had to check_ if they were… were still alive, _just in case_… because none of them would have ever slept again if they'd just _assumed_… the guilt of not knowing would have haunted them forever...

The worst bit… was knowing they were still looking at them, the eyes were open, both Oracle and Huntress' wide open in accusation. They hadn't gotten there in time…_ too late_, precious seconds too late… The creature had already been and fled. There had been no pulse when his tentative fingers had pressed against the soft, sticky flesh of Helena's torn, but still-warm throat… of course there couldn't have been, given that none of her insides were… _inside_… anymore. An involuntary shudder rippled through his frame at the memory. Sure, she'd tried to kill him on at least twelve different occasions, but really, she'd fought by his side at least an equal amount of time, if not more… and there was no hiding the choked-off cry Nightwing had given when he had checked Barbara's body for signs of life.

Dick had known her his entire career as Robin, and then Nightwing… more than half his life… they'd even been _together_ together, all couple-y more than once in their lives. It had been soul-destroying to both of them when she'd been shot in the spinal column -_her career as the first Batgirl destroyed in a second of sheer calculated cruelty on Joker's behalf_- she'd fought through that and could still kick the ass of anyone from her wheelchair… Well, she was one of a kind, even finding a new position in Super-Society as Oracle… To discover someone that important, that wonderful, kind, clever… and all the other wonderful adjectives that described that vibrant red-head, with her heart torn out and her face nearly beyond recognition from the thing's talons…

_There were no words_.

This time, when the bile rose in his throat, he let it come… and painted the blood-stained room another colour… but tears would never come.

~)0(~

Pervading everything was the constant hum of the artificial gravity generator, the almost inaudible hissing of the air filtration system, the imperceptible flickering of the incessantly buzzing fluorescent lights flooding every area of the Watchtower. Batman noticed them all. A cacophony of sound that broke through his normally impervious mental shield of concentration to interject on his conversation with both John Stewart –who was consulting his Lantern ring for information on any animal, creature, lifeform or entity with the capability to perpetrate the injuries he had described in circuitous detail, leaving out the who , when and how- and Zatana, who was sceptical that John would find anything, believing the creature to be magically-based in origin.

"Bats?" Green Lantern looked up at him, noticing his distraction, "Uh, wanna tell us what's going on? I mean, I realise you have this policy of not telling anyone anything, but it is kinda weird you woke us up at 4am to discuss invisible flying monsters with round jaws and lots of teeth…" Bruce was about to interject with the argument that the Lantern's description was childish and nothing like the creature he had described in detail to them… When he became aware of three things.

The first, was that both Green Lantern and Zatana were looking at him with a mixture of concern, curiosity and a stubborn expression that plainly read that the pair would not say more on their ideas until everything was explained beyond a brief description. The second thing that came to awareness was that Superman was four feet away and doing his best to seem inconspicuous, though listening in from behind a shrewdly placed pot plant… and thirdly, J'onn was trying to contact him telepathically. '_Yes, J'onn?_' he replied to the Martian first, as it seemed urgent… and he had a feeling his distraction had been unconsciously blocking all attempts for quite some time.

'_Batman, please come to the monitor room, there is an urgent message from Nightwing…'_ informed the Manhunter, the implication of his confusion at being ignored was there, but Batman shut his mind to it… breaking the connection. He turned from the room, the implication being that Green Lantern and Zatana should follow, "…and you can stop pretending you aren't listening, Boy Scout… Come along if you are coming."

Superman paused a moment as the trio left the room, then followed along curiously in their wake, never before quite so concerned for someone he considered his best friend. And that was saying something…

~)0(~

"Oh Sweet & Merciful, Hera!" cried Diana as she entered the window of Oracle's tower, red knee-high boots hovering mere millimetres off of the crimson-soaked floor, slight winds from her flight stirring the pools sickeningly under her feet. No warrior should die thusly… it was truly a most terrible, cruel fate. She would ask the Goddesses to receive her sisters-at-arms when next she returned to Themyscira.

Sounds of retching reached her ears… painful and harsh in this twilight world of grim silence. Turning to find the source and noting that it seemed to emanate from both outside and in, Diana found herself observed. Nightwing watched her from the shadows, unmoving. Blood marred his normally black and blue costume; at his feet, Robin was on his knees in the crimson pools, trembling arms holding him up from where he had recently been ill…

Outside came the cries of those too ill to be sick once more and were reduced to dry heaving. Finally, the Flash appeared weakly in the doorway, holding a pale Superboy up by the back of his shirt…

"What happened here?" she asked with eyes wide, tone concerned and commanding; taking in the grouping and seeing no possible explanation for the atrocities spread amongst the groupings of high-tech computer systems packed in the surprisingly large space. Imperceptibly, a signal seemed to pass through the group until Wally nodded, stepping forwards to answer. "Look, we're not sure what's happening _exactly _but… there's something bad in Gotham, and it really, REALLY hates the Bat Family… We can't see it, can't touch it, can't fight it or stop it. It attacked Robin and Nightwing earlier under a guise of invisibility, and then did…well, _this_." He gestured widely at the carnage surrounding them without looking down.

"I've already informed Batman…" Nightwing answered her unasked question, not even looking at the Themyscirian Princess, "He's on the Watchtower, with Manhunter, Green Lantern and Zatana, they're looking through the databases for any possible creature of alien or magical origin that could have attacked us… and done this. No leads so far, but Zatana appeared quite worried, I think she knows something she's not telling. Diana… could you deal with this, please? I… _can't_."

With a shuddering breath to steel herself, Wonder Woman nodded back, already formulating a plan as to how she would move the bodies and dispose of them… sans costumes. As was the agreement…

There were rules to protect the remaining members of the Bat Family, should one of them fall… plans in place to dispose of their bodies appropriately so as not to cast suspicion. They all agreed to allow this to happen, and those in the Justice League let in on the secret had agreed to memorise a set series of sequences through which their former teammates might be disposed of. Diana herself thought it sacrilege, but was already formulating a plan of how to move the bodies and cast suspicion onto the wild animals roaming in a nature preserve a few miles from Gotham itself. A hunting Preserve, always fully stocked… the very idea made her ill, but now… it was practical.

With a heavy heart, she carefully began the process of stripping her sister heroes in preparation of hiding their secret identities forever… as the blood slicked over her arms, something inside went numb to cope… and when she looked up, the others were gone. She was alone…

Alone in the Dark.

~)0(~

* * *

_**TBC...**_

* * *

_**Yes, I left it there...**_

_**See you Soooooooooon... **_

_**~*SailorSilvanesti/Phoenix Fire*~**_


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